MARSDEN was in full swing at the weekend as it hosted its annual Jazz Festival.

Thousands of music lovers descended on the village as many of its venues played host to some of the best jazz and blues artists in the business.

Over 60 events, featuring both big names and up-and-coming artists, were staged over the weekend, most of which were free.

The music extravaganza, now in its 17th year, kicked off in style on the Friday night

with a performance by the popular jazz group Temperance Seven in the Mechanics Hall.

Other headline acts over the course of the weekend included world-class jazz singer Claire Martin and one of the hottest properties in British jazz today, Empirical.

Snake Davis, one of the most in-demand saxophonists in the country who has performed with the likes of James Brown and Chaka Khan, wowed the crowds with his smooth mix of funk, soul and jazz.

As well as top names, there were performances by fresh new talent, including Huddersfield band Extra Curricular with their funky blend of jazz and hip hop.

Other festival highlights were the colourful grand parade of musicians along Peel Street on the Saturday and a performance by the Frolicked puppet theatre company in a marquee on the bridge.

Festival chairman Barney Stevenson said: “It’s been another fantastic year, the village was full and we had around 6,000 visitors over the course of the weekend.

“The jazz festival is in its 17th year now and the size of it has really grown over the years– we’re now running out of space!

“It has something for everyone and it’s certainly become one of the best jazz festivals in this area. People come from all over the place to take part; there’s one guy who comes all the way from America every year to watch it, so he’s probably our most committed fan!

“It’s an absolutely unbelievable atmosphere, everywhere you look you see crowds and performers, and this year we’ve seen some fantastic performances– it’s run like an amazing machine and we’re now looking forward to the next one!”